On the footpath; actually I posted a pic on forum of a smaller hole some years back, at the time fibre was being introduced, that was pretty well in same location. Can't say as to joint box now!
Thank you. I suspect that it just to give some more room by replacing an existing joint-box with a newer, larger version.
Who knows, perhaps it is to create sufficient underground space for a G.9700/G.9701 (a.k.a. G.Fast) node?